Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Raiding my TFSA

A couple of weeks ago I decided to pilfer my TFSA in 2010, and apply the $1130 or so to my $3500 credit card balance. I want this card paid OFF, ASAP. I know I'll be losing out on compound interest but I think I'm making the right decision. I will continue to snowflake back into it with each paycheque, but I probably won't get it back up to $1000 by the end of 2010. That's ok, because I desperately want to have the CC and LOC paid off in 2011.

I have my 2010 budget spreadsheet all ready to go, with all the modifications I could think of based on spending in 2009. Reaching the final column of the 2009 spreadsheet has been a relief, and a real achievement, because I made through the entire year tracking my expenses and debt payments.

Finally, I made arrangements to deduct $18 from each monthly paycheque for a Canada Savings Bond. I know I can get more interest in a personal savings account, but it is easier for me to save when the balance is "out of sight, out of mind."

About Me

I'm a middle-aged, Canadian, single Mom. Inspired by my son and a wealth of PF (personal finance) information on the www, I began eliminating my twenty thousand dollar credit card debt in November 2008. As of May 2011, I am credit card debt free!!! I am not a financial expert by any means, just an average joe making the same mistakes as everyone else, and learning from them!

Things I want to do before I die (in no particular order)

Originally written May 10, 2004:1) Knit a sweater2) Learn how to stop on rollerblades3) Speak fluent French and/or Spanish4) Perform in musical theatre5) Earn an M.A. and/or a Ph.D.6) Live for at least one year in another country7) Learn to drive standardAug 20118) Become - and stay - a non-smokerMarch 20129) Get a tattooJuly 2004 or two10) Learn to drum11) Visit England and Scotland (visited France July 2017)12) Publish an article or a book13) Become a Yoga instructorcompleted Yoga Teacher Training 200 Hours Oct 201214) Love with complete trust (working on it!)15) Get a Boston Terrier16) Own a house or a trailerOct 201417) Go on a spiritual retreatAug (Montreal) & Oct (Mae Rim, Thailand) 2005; Aug 2013 (St. Catharines); July 2014 & 2015 (New York); May 2015 (Ottawa); July 2017 (Bordeaux)18) Feel completely satisfied with my life - almost there!19) Learn kickboxing(3 months of Muay Thai in 2016 taught me that I'm injury-prone)20) Run four times around the school track21) Meditate in ThailandOct 2005 or India22) Visit or live in Yukon or NWT or Nunavut23) Return to Havana, Cuba24) Get TESL certification